<p>Since the winter break is a month long and the spring semester ends so early, there seem to me to be all kinds of options for repairing this temporal problem. If they can get things together in a month's time, I would bet they will run a full semester. Doing so might involve crunching things up a tiny bit while also running the fall into January and the spring into June. Who knows? But there are certainly better options than assuming that Tulane is down for the count. I have faith, anyway, even while I am terribly disappointed for my son.</p>
<p>ctymomteacher, I have a friend who's D was going to be a freshman. I was wondering whether these students were going to wait around to see if there will be a semester, or just take classes in community college for a semester. I would think that if they do run the semester there will be a lot of empty beds, and empty seats and another financial hit. I would think they would be insured to cover something like this, but I don't know. My friend 's D is from the NY area. Her roomate invited her to stay w her family for now. She has all of her belongings in her dorm room and she says she thinks that is all gone (of course she doesn't know, but that is what she is assuming). As long as everyone is physically alright, that is all that counts. I guess this will all work out. I know she is upset because the tuition was a big stretch to begin with ( she had a scholarship, but not one of the larger ones), then there was the plane fare, and now more expenses, and uncertainty.</p>
<p>Jmmom-wishing you a safe journey home. The goodbyes were hard on my D and now the uncertainty will be difficult. Though she knows compared to the residents of NO her issues are small.
Like many of the freshman almost everything my D owns is in her dorm room. She dressed to go running this morning and came out and said I have no shoes except the flipflops she was wearing Sat. So many left thinking they would be back in a few days. We only had her take a few clothes. She has her laptop but left the powercord in the dorm.
I hope that all is not lost.
It is also hard being home when everyone has gone with nothing to do and uncertainty in planning anything.</p>
<p>jmmom-It's good to get an update from you. Here's hoping for a safe and uneventful flight home. Best wishes coming your way.</p>
<p>Yes, mom60. S left everything in the room, including new laptop. I'm hoping they're not a total loss, but no way to know. The kids are safe, that's what matters. At our evacuation hotel in Baton Rouge, we were surrounded by families from the truly worst hit areas (Slidell, St. Bernard parish...); their homes are gone. Many of them cannot afford alternate housing, but will have to find something, whether it's a church hall or ??? Our kids' belongings and semester schedule are nothing in comparison. Doesn't stop me from worrying, not so much about how Tulane will plan for the semester - I know they'll come up with something; but about how S will take it. We have been away from him since Saturday and have no idea at all of what is on his mind.</p>
<p>How are other students reacting?</p>
<p>I hope my son's things are okay since he left his big computer there, though we had him wrap it in plastic and put it on the shelf in his closet first. He took his new tablet PC with him. But he certainly won't have much to wear while he's home!</p>
<p>I'm just not going to assume that he needs to enroll anywhere else. I will assume that the reason we are not seeing pictures of Tulane and the Garden District on tv is that they are not the big story. That would be good news. I won't say my son was going to be a freshman--he IS a freshman at Tulane. As Marite said over on the Parents' Forum, Harvard starts in late September and they do just fine. Maybe Tulane will, too.</p>
<p>"How are other students reacting?"</p>
<p>DD is headed home via Birmingham tomorrow. She is surly and DW is teary. Not the best combination, but OK considering the circumstances.</p>
<p>Our S is in the same situation. We evacuated his dorm room just as I finished making the bed. We did have the presence of mind to put his tv, electric guitar and other electronics in the closet, but who knows if that helped. He too packed very little to bring home with him but he did make sure he had his laptop. (He left the power cord also!)</p>
<p>He was doing better yesterday when it truly looked like he'd be back in a couple of weeks. My usually stoic son had tears in his eyes today when he saw the news that New Orleans is nearly uninhabitable. I don't have the heart to even discuss other college options with him just yet.</p>
<p>I'm still hoping Tulane can salvage the semester. The worst part is waiting to find out what will be possible.</p>
<p>In the scheme of things, I know the impact to us is truly minimal. But it doesn't keep me from aching for my son and his disappointment.</p>
<p>Exactly, curiouser. He couldn't shed more tears than I have for him already. I guess that's why I have to keep hoping that Tulane will pull it off after all. That and the fact that my son already turned down the scholarship at UNC-Chapel Hill to take the DSA at Tulane. What would he do if they don't pull it off, anyway? They HAVE our money already!</p>
<p>As a Tulane alum I want to let you know that I have nothing but praise for Tulane's handling of difficult matters. Right now the school is at the mercy of the city's infrastructure. Just give it a little time and patience. I understand how difficult it is not knowing what the outcome will be, but all you can do now is wait and see. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected. Your kids are now part of the Tulane family, and we have a very strong alumni network. We're in this together.</p>
<p>On one hand you worry about your kids belongings. My D has pretty much all she owns on the 4th fl of a dorm room 1200 miles away. She took her new laptop (and power cord!) with her but left behind a hard drive with years of music and anime loaded on it. Most of her clothes, art posters, bicycle, etc. are there. You ask yourself - did the roof hold up, did the windows blow out? Will the humidity seep into everything and turn to mold?</p>
<p>On the other, people died yesterday, died today and will die tomorrow. Many of the living will come out of this with nothing left in the world. A missing semester and a bunch of objects pale in comparison.</p>
<p>I'm not chiding anyone here for thoughtlessness. The trivial and the profound will occupy each of us until this is resolved. The important thing is that our kids are alive and will be here to make tomorrow better.</p>
<p>Good luck, New Orleans.</p>
<p>Stoic, that is the attitude to have. I am glad that your D is safe and well. The rest will get sorted out. It really seems that the problems NO faces are devastating. There are now apparently problems w vermin, mosquitos, drinking water, and sewage. It is a living nightmare.</p>
<p>Yes, we have to remind ourselves of what we do have in comparison. Although our students may lose what is in their dorms/apts, they have homes elsewhere to return to. My heart goes out to the permanent residents in the devastated areas that have nothing left. </p>
<p>Like others, I'm disappointed (academically and financially) that the semester is up in the air, but am heartened by the options that have been posted and figure they will work it out. It has been great to have this board to come to and share thoughts with other Tulane parents.</p>
<p>Interestingly, my H was at Brandeis during the nationwide campus strikes following the Tet offensive. Halfway through the spring semester, classes were cancelled. As he recalls, some arrangements were made to finish and submit papers, and profs used what they had to grade and called it a semester. It was quite an experience and memory for him. </p>
<p>I agree that Tulane has done the best it can in an impossible situation. Best of luck to all.</p>
<p>Thank you for the encouraging words, Blackeyedsusan! I'm sure everyone is most grateful for them. And I also agree wholehearterdly with you, Stoic. My husband and I were just talking about how blessed we feel. It will be complete when I actually see that my son is safe and fed and rested. And then I think of Concerneddad's son, who won't be any of those things because he has to go back to help others, and he's only a year older than mine. </p>
<p>There's just no way to whine.</p>
<p>As the mother of a Tulane senior I feel my son's situations is a bit different that those of the freshman. He needs these last two semesters to graduate on time and then attend medical school in the fall. He has decided to try to enroll in one of the local universities; even if he just sits in on the classes until Tulane makes a decision. He is afraid of the semester is a loss, he might not be able to graduate on time. </p>
<p>As much as he would like to wait it out and se what Tulane has to offer, he really feels this is the best option. I don't know what to think; I believe that Tulane will do whatever it can to get the students back ASAP, but they are at the mercy of the city. I don't see how they will be able to get a semester in starting at least 8 weeks late. I also think 8 weeks is a bit optimistic.</p>
<p>My son seems so torn as to the best solution. He is looking ahead for what is best for him and has decided to enroll of possible in a local private university. Even if Tulane gets this semester rolling the worst that has happened is my son sat in a few classes instead of sitting around playing on his playstation!!</p>
<p>That IS a tough decision.</p>
<p>The ones still in Jackson are being put on buses tonight. Our son has called and told us he would be leaving soon. I don't understand why they're timing it this way, but then they don't really care that we'll have to do without sleep and drive from the middle of the night to dawn to get to him on time, I suppose. It's probably more for those who are flying home from the airport. Nice idea. We just checked, and Atlanta to Asheville for tomorrow is $633! Interesting concept after what we spent on the Move-In weekend that wasn't.</p>
<p>Right. No whining. Nap time.</p>
<p>I was just talking with a friend, Pokeymom, about the difficulties seniors like your son must be facing. For freshmen it's not such a big deal to lose a semester-- disappointing, yes, but it won't make or break their college career.</p>
<p>The timing is terrible. Our local colleges all starrted this week or last; I am thinking our freshman dd might take 1 or 2 courses in fields that she's wondering whether she'd like to pursue and get a part time job or volunteer. I told her I'm sure that the local elementary school could keep her busy as a classroom volunteer 40 hours a week. If I were her, I'd go on a LONG Outward Bound or NOLA, but I don't think that's her style.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great support here. My S is with my sister's family in Houston. We left him there after the move-in thinking they would be soon returning to school. He also now only potentially owns what he brought with him. While most is easily replaced, his memorabilia from his trip to Africa this summer is not. And while he realizes that we have nothing to complain about, this disappointment is overwhelming.</p>
<p>It is not knowing that is the worst. The loss of hope that the flooding will not reach the 2nd floor of Butler is almost more than he can bear as we watch the news of the levy break. We just want to know.</p>
<p>But now that they are sending the kids home from Jackson State, we will make arrangements to fly him back to MI this weekend. So he too faces the question, "What do I do now?" We realize that we should be greatful that we have homes to return to, but thanks for sharing our disappointment.</p>
<p>I meant Outward Bound or NOLS (above); of course I have NOLA on my mind 24/7.</p>
<p>I am SO worried about my friend who NOONE can contact at this point. She is not a Tulane student, she goes to Xavier but I would like to know if there has been any word on students at Xavier? Is Xavier even close to Tulane? I live in CT and I have not even started school yet (Sept 15th for me) but I am devastated myself at the situation. I was so depressed and tears came to my eyes while watching the video on CNN and not knowing how my friend and all other people are faring. </p>
<p>I am SO glad for all of you who's kids are safe and my heart truly goes out to you all. I am an EMT and I swear I wish I could go down there to help but I just feel helpless. I feel I should be doing something and I WISH more than anything I could help out. I pray with every thing I have that Tulane and all of NO will pull through this together and safely. Surviving this is very much so worth losing a brand new laptop or every bit of clothing in a dorm room. Those can always be bought again but you can never buy another life. Good luck to you all and I wish you the best.</p>